ASEAN事務総長:ミャンマーには10億ドルの人道支援が必要

DOC/Meeting of ASEAN leaders with AIPA representatives at the ASEAN Summit series in Labuan Bajo on Wednesday 10 May/PHOTO: Jokowi's Instagram

JAKARTA - Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Kao Kim Hourn said Myanmar needed humanitarian assistance worth US$1.01 billion (nearly Rp15 trillion) by the end of 2024.

This figure was obtained based on the results of a joint study from a team led by the ASEAN Aid Center for Humanitarian Assistance (AHA Center) in a number of regions and states that are considered vulnerable and need assistance in Myanmar.

"We found people affected by the situation in Myanmar and they obviously needed help," said Kao as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, May 15.

The assistance needed for the Myanmar people affected by the conflict sparked by the military coup against the country's elected government includes access to health facilities, food, clean water, sanitation, and shelters.

In response to the findings of the AHA Center team, said Kao, ASEAN will hold a regional meeting to mobilize aid resources for the people of Myanmar affected by the conflict.

"The leaders (ASEAN) have agreed to continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the affected people," he said, saying that until the end of 2023 Myanmar needed around USD 18.8 million (around IDR 278.6 billion).

Kao emphasized the importance of security and safety guarantees for the AHA Center team in aid distribution, referring to an attack launched against a convoy of aid delivery teams in Myanmar last week.

"The leaders (ASEAN) have condemned the attack, and at the same time we need to work with relevant authorities to ensure the safety and security of the humanitarian aid team," he said.

Kao explained that ASEAN leaders emphasized that they should continue to approach Myanmar by using the Five-Point Consensus as a reference.

Although until now there has been no progress in implementing the consensus, Kao emphasized that the Five-Point Consensus agreed upon by ASEAN leaders and high-ranking Myanmar juntas was not a failure.

"The Five-Point Consensus is not a failure, because it is a consensus agreed by the leaders, but it takes the will of Myanmar to implement the consensus," he said.